Don't drink fast, don't take in big mouthfulls. Sip the water. It stops gas build up or something, its what the fitness trainer at rugby tells us anyway.

I've been told to do the same, although i don't know the reason behind it.

When I was serving my time in the army, after our torture sessions on the army obstacle course, the PTI (physical training instructor) will only allow us to pour water into our canteen caps and sip a capful at a time. We were all dying of thirst but had only that capful to drink, and we were slowly allowed to drink another capful after a few minutes.

At the time I thought they were giving us a hard time.

On hindsight I think it was done for some reason (to do with how our body will react), although I never knew what.

oh wow. that has just helped me a shitload. Last night at training, i downed practically a litre of water, i felt really slow and couldnt get any explosiveness or energy into any techniques, and i felt pretty sick. I was tryin to figure out what i was doing wrong.

I find if I bring 20oz of gatorade I drink half, then fill it again so it's half water and I finish that. I'm usually at the dojo for three hours.

I'm rolling a lot (taijutsu) and we move and sweat a good deal every class, but straight water feels very heavy. If it's cold, I sip it, but as it warms I can drink more. Try half-and- half; it's easier to tolerate.